An Ethiopian Airlines bound for Rome was hijacked by it co-pilot,flew it to Switzerland instead, where he sought for asylum, officials said today.
The co-pilot took control of the plane when the pilot went to the restroom, said Swiss police spokesman Jean-Philippe Brandt.The co-pilot, who was not named, closed the fortified door, police said.
The Boeing 767-300 aircraft with 202 passengers and crew on board had taken off from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and landed in Geneva at about 6am local time with just 20 minutes of fuel remaining.
The plane circled around Geneva until the co-pilot heard a direct response about his requests for asylum.
Although passengers on board the plane were unaware it had been hijacked. After landing in Geneva, the co-pilot exited the cockpit using a rope and turned himself in to authorities.
Police escorted passengers one by one, with their hands above their heads, from the taxied plane to waiting vehicles.
Geneva prosecutor Olivier Jornot said Swiss federal authorities were investigating the hijacking and would press charges which could carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
Geneva airport was initially closed to other flights, but operations resumed around two hours after the hijacked plane landed.
The flight apparently began emitting a ‘hijacking code’ as it flew over Sudan.
Airlinereporter.com reported that this beacon, known as a ’7500′, cannot come from a glitch.
The website said that the co-pilot kept the plane in the air over Switzerland and France until his asylum request was mentioned.
Ethiopian Airlines is owned by Ethiopia’s government, which has faced persistent criticism over its rights record and alleged intolerance for political dissent.
Human Rights Watch says Ethiopia’s human rights record ‘has sharply deteriorated’ over the years.
The rights group says authorities severely restrict basic rights of freedom of expression, association, and assembly.
The government has been accused of targeting journalists, opposition members, as well as the country’s minority Muslim community.